East Kilbride ace sent off for 'slapping his own thigh' as boss left baffled by ref's call in Gala Fairydean thriller

East Kilbride boss Mick Kennedy admits he was left baffled after striker John Robertson saw red on Saturday for ‘slapping his own thigh’ in their dramatic 4-4 draw with Gala Fairydean.

Kilby played much of the game with nine men and had to come from behind three times to salvage a point in an eight-goal thriller at Netherdale.

Lewis Hall gave Gala the lead inside three minutes before Cami Elliott equalised and then gave EK the lead on the stroke of half-time, either side of Robertson picking up two quick-fire bookings for dissent and then slapping his thigh.

Gala pulled level 60 seconds after the re-start through Joe Wylie and then EK were reduced to nine when Andrew MacDonald was sent off for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

The goals kept coming and Liam Watt put Gala 3-2 up in 54 minutes, but Kilby somehow found it within them to level when Jack Leitch netted in 66 minutes.

The rollercoaster ride continued when Gala looked to have won the game, with Hall grabbing his second of the game in 72 minutes.

However, in the 89th minute Tiwi Daramola popped up to pull EK level for a third time and earn the draw.

Kennedy hailed his side for their heroic efforts but he branded the decision by referee Alex Shepherd (pictured, below) to send Robertson off ‘ridiculous’.

He said: “I think Andy MacDonald’s one is a straight red, definitely. He is the last man on the edge of the box denying a goalscoring opportunity.

“But John Robertson’s is ridiculous. The referee books him initially for dissent, which is fair enough, but as John walks away with his back to the referee he slaps his own thigh and doesn’t say anything but he gives him a red card.

“I asked the referee for an explanation at half-time and he said he booked him the